LONDON – Of all the emotions and excitement that Lakers star Kobe Bryant is feeling in the wake of his team’s blockbuster acquisition of center Dwight Howard, probably the most satisfying is to know that, when he finally hangs up his high tops, the franchise will be in good shape. And though Bryant will turn 34 in nearly two weeks and is coming off a year in which he averaged 27.9 points, that time could be coming soon.

Speaking after helping Team USA topple Argentina here in the Olympic semifinals, Bryant said, “I will probably play two, three more years. Then the team is his. I am excited for the Laker franchise because they have a player that can carry the franchise well after I am gone. It should be his and he should be willing to accept that challenge.”

In the meantime, of course, Bryant is looking forward to taking the floor with Howard—not to mention new point guard Steve Nash, as well as standbys Pau Gasol and Metta World Peace. It is a stacked lineup, and if the Lakers continue to build their bench, this team could move ahead of the defending-champion Heat as the favorites for the NBA championship next year.

“Absolutely,” Bryant said. “We were a championship team with Andrew (Bynum). Now that Dwight’s in the mix, along with Steve and Antawn (Jamison) coming off the bench and I am sure they will make a couple of other tweaks to the bench, absolutely.”

But beyond this year, Bryant said he is also looking at the Howard deal through the lens of history. First, he credited the team’s management for, once again, managing to pull out a prized big man and three-time Defensive Player of the Year. Coming off a year in which nothing seemed to go right for the Lakers front office—with the Chris Paul trade that failed, the Lamar Odom giveaway, the Gasol trade rumors for which Bryant himself criticized management—this offseason has been a nonstop triumph.

“History speaks for itself,” Bryant said. “There are certain franchises that seem to make all the right decisions, that make smart business moves. The credit rally goes to management. You’re talking about a franchise that shipped Lamar out and then the CP trade fell through, which would have been a great deal for us, financially and basketball-wise. Then that gets pulled from underneath us and then all the sudden, they regroup and come up with something that is even better. It is unprecedented. “

Bryant also said he spoke to Howard on Friday morning. Howard—who can be a free agent after the season—initially resisted going to Los Angeles, but when Bryant spoke to him, he was certain to put Howard into the context of Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O’Neal.

“I told him Los Angeles is a great place for him,” Bryant said. “Look at history, all the great centers that have come to L.A. Now he is the next in line. He could not have been in a better position than to be with this type of organization. I am really excited for him.”

He is excited for the team, too, dispelling any notion that all these Lakers star might have a hard time sacrificing and playing together.

“He is not going to have to sacrifice much,” Bryant said. “He will come out and do what he does. He is going to get more touches than he did in Orlando. Sounds weird to say, but it is true, it’s true. We’re going to do a good job of playing through the post, playing through him and through Pau. It’s going to be sensational.”